James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The Greek word for fervent is zeo. It is the root for zealous, it means heat. The Greek word zeo is not found in James 5:16. Rather the Greek word energeo is translated effectual fervent. The reason it is translated this way is not apparent unless you translate the most commonly used word for energeo which is work.
The work prayer of a righteous man avails much doesn’t carry forward the idea set in place by the previous sentence, that being the power to heal. This is one of those cases where a word for word replacement text cannot carry the contextual understanding of the experience.
Neither can the idea of effectual fervent prayer carry the contextual understanding without the insinuation of the power to heal. We cannot heal, the power to heal resides in God manifested in us thru the Holy Spirit. Neither can we be effectually fervent in prayer without that same Holy Spirit.
Think of it in this way, the power to heal is released by the prayer only if the two are connected much in the same way that the hammer on a pistol is released only if the trigger is pulled. I can tell myself that I pulled the trigger but I am neither the trigger nor the hammer.
I would like to think that the people in those times had an experience which allowed them to make this connection without further explanation. Now, here we are two thousand years removed from the events trying to replicate the experience without those transitional thoughts.
Romans 12:10-12 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Fervent in spirit; instant in prayer; make the connection.
This message is so thought provoking. Your challenge….”make the connection”. I know that in James we have “the prayer of faith shall save the sick”. From the verse you quoted at the beginning, I was touched with the word “healed” and the context could suggest the healing of a breach between a group of believers. I am going to make a connection from this point of view….Romans 12:10…”in honor, preferring one above another”.
How many fellowships have been broken because of “PRIDE”.
Esteeming another better than myself, to me” is a great connector. Thank you dear brother for another thought provoking message. I love your your blog posts.